I need some help on a few questtions.

My wife (thai) wants her sister to visit us for a month or 2 starting july 2008. My questions are?

1. How soon can we apply? can we apply now for her visa stating she wishes to come july or is it too soon?

2. What evidence is needed from her? she has land and a house and 2 children who will not be travelling with her. (she owns a farm)

3. What evidence do i need? do i need to show bank statemnets and wage slips to show i can support her as a normal visitors visa?

4. What are the chances of her getting it easily as she is visiting her sister?

5. As she speaks no english at all, would this cause big problems at immigration in the UK.

6. she has never flown before therefore has no idea what to do. I understand you can pay for a chaperone at the airports to assist her. does any one have experience of this and the cost?

Any more information would be a bonus!

Many thanks in advance.

If your sister-in-law is thinking of visiting in July, she is probably best applying in late-May/early-June, especially as the rules may have changed by then and a visit visa's validity may be restricted to three months.

As things stand, the normal visit visa rules apply, although if it's refused she will get a right of appeal. Your sister-in-law will have to demonstrate that she has a reason to return to Thailand, and if you are paying for the trip, you will have to show that you have the means to do so. Therefore, you should include your bank statements etc. and your sister-in-law should submit evidence of her land ownerhip etc. You will also have to show that you have accommodation available for her. Something else the embassy now seem keen upon, in relation to family visits, is evidence that the family members are close. Consequently, you may also wish to provide evidence that the two sisters are in regular contact.

Scouse.

anyone have any ideas or expeience in immigration at airports or chaperones?

beleive you can ask the airline to escort her from checkin to the plane & off the plane to immigration at the other end, there is a fee. I did this for a minor but saw on that airlines website that they had this service for non minors too. Would check with the airline before booking a ticket to make sure they offer the service.

To get as far as the UK immigration officer, your sister-in-law will have a visa and her lack of English by itself won't be a problem. The worst case scenario is that the IO asks her to wait whilst he comes to speak to you. It may help if you give her a letter explaining the circumstances of the visit which she may present to the IO if needs be. An airline chaperone can show someone the way, but can't intervene on the passenger's behalf at immigration.

Scouse.

anyone have any ideas or expeience in immigration at airports or chaperones?

Spuds my Thai neice visited this summer. As her sponser I gave her a letter to give to immigration saying i was outside waiting for her - there were no issues she came out OK. That was Birmimgham.

anyone have any ideas or expeience in immigration at airports or chaperones?

Last year my family visitors to UK travelled from Phuket on Malaysian airlines, when they booked they told the agent they were first time travellers. They travelled via KL and were accompanied at every point during change of aircraft. The attendants on the aircraft also knew and even put them in business class during their flight to UK so they could get them out at LHR expediently. They were chaperoned through baggage collection and immigration. Didn't have to think for themselves although they could speak understandable English. They were most impressed

I believe most airlines will do this so the secret is tell the airline (or a good agent) that they are travelling for the first time

I need some help on a few questtions.

My wife (thai) wants her sister to visit us for a month or 2 starting july 2008. My questions are?

3. What evidence do i need? do i need to show bank statemnets and wage slips to show i can support her as a normal visitors visa?

4. What are the chances of her getting it easily as she is visiting her sister?

A couple of points re:

3. Yes. Also send her a copy of your tenancy agreement/Land Registry entry showing your house details in the UK where she'll be accommodated

4. Chances are good, IMHO. Potential sticking point will be evidence showing that she intends to return to Thailand, although she'll be showing details of her landholdings

Good luck!

Thanks all, all i need to do now is get my bank in order as i am pretty far overdrawn, does this matter as long as my wife and i are both in full time employment ?

Thanks all, all i need to do now is get my bank in order as i am pretty far overdrawn, does this matter as long as my wife and i are both in full time employment ?

Being both in employment is a bonus but how you are juggling your income against expenditure is what will be judged.

You have to demonstrate that you can support and entertain your visitor in addition to supporting yourselves. I dont know if it matters that you are overdrawn but what would matter is that you are shown to be reducing your overdraft by the month or in the worst case maintaining a status quo. You will need to prove this by submitting your last 6 months bank statements.

Maybe you should ask yourselves how are you going to pay for her ticket and support her whilst she in in UK. If it means you will go further into debt then I think, if it were me, I would question whether it is wise to make the application

is that about it then. looks fairly straight forward does she stand more chance of getting the visa as she is family?

It's still the same set of immigration rules as apply to any other visitor, but, if refused, your sister-in-law would get a right of appeal.

Scouse.